Growing up, I was not only counting the days, but the hours before I was old enough to hunt. Raised in a family that spent nearly every weekend outdoors, it was a huge milestone to turn 12 years old and get your tags. Thanks to the Montana Apprentice Hunter Program, hunters as young as 10 years old can fill a tag.

This paid off recently for my 10 year old nephew, Peyton. He was so pumped to get his turkey tag. He could not wait to bag a big Tom. With the help of his Dad and Brother-in-law, Peyton got the job done.

If you have a young hunter between the ages of 10-17, you simply need to go to your regional FWP office and fill out an Apprentice Hunter Certification Form. A mentor at least 21 years old must accompany the apprentice while hunting and MUST remain within sight of and direct voice contact with the apprentice hunter at all times. The mentor MUST have the Apprentice Hunter Mentor Form in his/her possession at all times while in the field.